distributor gear failure

[greenwater]

I'm not a great specialist or mechanic but had made research about distributor gear and here what I learned. There are three type available: steel,iron and bronze. Bronze is for steel cam (like most roller),it won't hurt the cam gear but will wear-off rapidly (just about gone within 2500 miles).
Iron gear should be match with iron cam...then none of those gears will get dammaged.

Steel gear should be matched with steel cam.

My understanding is if iron is matched to steel the iron part will suffer dammage being more brittle.

What is intricating in your case is you mentioned having a flat tappet cam....that should be an iron cam isn't it? Then if a mismatch was the case (a steel gear on your dist.),then it should be the cam gear suffering ....

So we are left to think that your cam is steel and your dist. was iron...check with the cam manufacturer if its an iron or steel one that should help you choosing the right gear for your dist. You can get the gear from ford motorsport retailers they have the three types ,both for 289/302 and 351 (different diameter).

Now I am soon to fire-up my engine with a steel gear after going through two bronze and getting tired of them. All I wish is I made the right choice of gear to go with my steel billet roller...

P.S. I believe that some refer to iron or cast gears ...just different words for the same thing.